1. Epic opener: One thing you would not expect from a team with an aging roster, including a 38-year-old point guard, and a center coming off back surgery is this:

A four-hour practice.

But there were the Lakers on Tuesday, going through a four-hour practice as they started a 2012-13 season in which some consider them one of the favorites to win the NBA title.

On paper, sure, the Lakers' roster looks really good, with a starting lineup of Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Metta World Peace, Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard. But can they form a cohesive unit quickly enough to deal with more established rosters, such as Oklahoma City's and Miami's?

Howard is the big addition, and his personality and Hollywood, well, it seems a match made in heaven -- or in a casting call -- as you can see by his spot on "Ellen" last week. More importantly, his back seems to be healing well from April surgery as the L.A. Times reports that Howard took part in much of practice, including taking contact.

"Hopefully, I'll be back for some preseason games," Howard told reporters. "I think I'm going to need it for chemistry and
all that stuff. But I'm not in a rush. These guys need me for the whole
year, not for a couple preseason games."

Meanwhile, the formation of this super-team, with a $99.7 million payroll in a league with a $58 million salary cap, is causing some to wonder if the new collective bargaining agreement that was signed after last year's lockout will have the teeth to dissuade big-spending large-market teams such as the Lakers, Knicks and Nets (more on them later) from overspending.

Blazers owner Paul Allen, one of the small-market hawks during the lockout, was asked about that at yesterday's practice. Allen said there remain "unresolved questions" about how teams that can afford the luxury tax -- even when it stiffens significantly starting next season -- will affect the league's balance.

Allen mentioned that small-market Oklahoma City might soon have to consider exceeding the cap, which they might have to do to retain standout guard James Harden.

"All those things, I think, have to be played out, and
we're going to have to look down the road whether we're going to have to change
the league structure more to change those things or not," Allen said.
"I've always felt that it's important for every team to be
able to field, every market, to be able to field a competitive team. And I've
told the other owners that, and I think they pretty much agree."

The Blazers open their regular season Oct. 31 against ... yup, the Lakers.

2. Clearing the air: Let me apologize in advance for this item. In fact, if you're eating something as you read this, skip ahead to No. 3 and come back to this one after you're done.

"The thing we're going to miss most about Dwight is his farting ability," Davis said. "A great farter. He can fart. He can fart loud -- the loudest farts. Silent farts."

I'm so ashamed of myself for using this, but I can't deny it -- or everyone would I know I supplied it. (So sorry!)

View full sizeAPThe Nets debuted their old-school-look uniforms this week.

3. Fresh start: There's been some talk about the NBA selling advertising on team uniforms as a way to make a few more bucks. I hope it never happens just so it does not mess up the Nets' new uniforms. Love 'em -- they are old-school classy.

The remake isn't just the dressing and the relocation to Brooklyn. Point guard Deron Williams, who returned to the Nets despite being the summer's biggest free-agent prize, wants the Nets to also put behind them the lousy attitude they displayed late last season, including joking around as the Nets were losing games on their way to a 22-44 record, ESPNNewYork.com's Mike Mazzeo reports.

"It was hard. I've never been in that position before," Williams said. "So
at times, I've showed frustration, but I think anybody would have. ... I don't think that stuff is
funny. That's what we had to deal with last year. But I don't think
we're going to deal with it this year, because just talking to the guys,
that's not what we're about. We're talking about not losing two games
in a row. We were just trying to fight to win two games in a row last
year."

The Nets really can't afford to laugh much off anymore considering just how much money they spent in gathering their team. They signed Williams to a five-year, $98 million extension, center Brook Lopez to a four year, $60 million extension, Gerald Wallace to a four-year, $40 million deal, Kris Humphries to a two-year, $24 million deal and took on Joe Johnson gigantic contract.

It adds up to a payroll that tops $82 million, which you have to figure will make losing no laughing matter, no matter how spiffy the Nets look.

4. Short-team look: The Bucks have two dynamic guards in Brandon
Jennings and Monta Ellis, but there are serious questions about whether
the pairing will be a long-term backcourt for Milwaukee.

The Racine Joural-Times' Gery Woelfel reports that Jennings and Ellis both have decisions to make about
their futures. Jennings, a 2009 draft pick, can sign a
long-term extension, but the Bucks must do the deal by Oct. 31, or Jennings will
become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Ellis, who went to
Milwaukee in the deal that sent center Andrew Bogut to Golden State,
can opt out of the final year of his deal. Although he would give up the
$11 million he would be owed for 2013-14, Ellis would become an
unrestricted free agent for the first time.

Ellis tells Woelfel that his agent and the Bucks have spoken just once, and he's not overly concerned.

"I’m just thinking about basketball; that’s it," Ellis tells Woelfel.5. Going global: From my house, I can pretty much walk to the headquarters of the company that made Dwyane Wade's old shoes. I most certainly cannot walk to the headquarters of Wade's new shoe company.